CRAVEN COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLhYA. 137 



the head of the column, to cross hands ; how tri- 

 umphantly would he lead her down the middle ; 

 and when the strain was closing, and the leader 

 commenced with his bow the prolonged rest on the 

 final note, how full of sentiment, of grace, and of 

 courtesy was the bow with which he would salute 

 his fair lady ! But those are scenes to be lived over 

 in thought. No untutored imagination can con- 

 ceive them. They are gone forever. Even in 

 Pineville they have become things which were. 

 Time can never restore them ; but so lone as an 

 old Pineville heart beats, so long will be embalmed 

 in the most fragrant memory, the recollection of a 

 Pineville country-dance. 



The staple dance of the evening was the cotillion. 

 But as this so much resembles the modern quadrille, 

 it needs no special description. And now, when a 

 country-dance, and one or two cotillions, had gently 

 stirred up the spirits of the dancers, the signal would 

 be given for the exhilarating reel. A six-handed 

 reel ! Come back for an instant, thou inexorable 

 past, and bring again before me that most fasci- 

 nating of movements ! No lover now claims the 

 hand of his beloved ; this is no scene for sentiment, 

 for soft whisper, for the gentle pressure of the 

 thrilling hand. No ; this is a dance. Your partner 

 must be a lively, merry, laughter-loving girl ; brisk, 

 active, animated. Let none venture on it but the 

 genuine votaries of Terpsichore. There is no room 



